When most people think of body composition, they think of macros, cardio, and training volume—not their liver enzymes. But here's the truth: your liver health, particularly your ALT levels, could be impacting your fat loss, muscle gain, and energy more than you think.

What is ALT?

ALT (Alanine Aminotransferase) is an enzyme found mainly in your liver. It plays a key role in converting proteins into energy for your cells. Under normal circumstances, ALT levels in your bloodstream are low. When your liver is inflamed or under stress, ALT levels rise—this shows up in your blood work.

In short, ALT is a liver health marker, and it matters more than most gym-goers realize.

Why ALT Matters for Body Composition

Your liver is your metabolic engine. It influences everything from how well you metabolize fat to how efficiently your body builds muscle. When ALT is elevated, it’s a warning sign your engine isn't running clean.

Here’s how poor liver health (and high ALT) can slow your progress:

1. Fat Loss Resistance

If your liver isn’t functioning optimally, it may impair lipid metabolism—the process by which your body breaks down fats. This can lead to higher circulating triglycerides and difficulty losing fat, especially around the midsection.

2. Impaired Hormonal Balance

The liver helps regulate sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone. Elevated ALT may indicate sluggish detox pathways, which can disrupt hormonal balance—leading to poor recovery, low energy, and even stubborn fat retention.

3. Reduced Training Recovery

A stressed liver can lead to higher systemic inflammation, which not only affects muscle recovery but also impairs nutrient partitioning—your body’s ability to shuttle nutrients into muscle instead of fat.

What Causes Elevated ALT?

• Overtraining or intense training without recovery

• High intake of alcohol or processed foods

• Excessive supplement or medication use

• Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)

• Undiagnosed insulin resistance

Even something as simple as not sleeping enough or being chronically dehydrated can play a role.

What You Can Do to Optimize ALT (and Your Physique)

1. Get Blood Work Done
   Don’t guess—test. Ask your Ascend coach about our preferred pathology labs to get a liver function panel that includes ALT.

2. Dial Back Training if Needed
   A short deload or program adjustment might be needed if your ALT is up due to training-induced stress.

3. Clean Up Nutrition
   Prioritize whole foods, lower your intake of processed fats/sugars, and support liver health with foods like leafy greens, citrus, and cruciferous vegetables.

4. Support Detoxification
   Ensure you're getting enough:

   • Water

   • Fiber

   • Sleep

   • Micronutrients (especially B vitamins, magnesium, and choline)

5. Monitor and Adjust
   Retest your blood every 3–6 months. ALT can improve quickly with the right interventions—and your physique usually does too.

Final Thoughts

Your ALT levels are more than a number—they’re a direct window into your metabolic efficiency. If you're stuck at a plateau despite doing everything “right,” it’s worth investigating what your blood work is saying. At Ascend, we use functional health data to tailor your programming, because body composition isn't just about what happens in the gym—it's about what’s happening inside your body.